Facelift: Stories

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Mid Face & Neck Lift

I decided on my doctor after researching and...

  • 29 Sep 2011


I decided on my doctor after researching and speaking with 2 other board certified plastic surgeons. I've always been fairly attractive but life was definitely catching up to me. My main issues were loose neck skin, jowls, and the lack of a jaw line. I did not want the wind swept look either.



My doctor seemed to know exactly what I was talking about. She showed me 'after' pictures of patients whos' pictures had the natural, untugged, look. Dr. Sikorski's demeanor is professional, yet she somehow makes it personal.



Day One: My daughter took me to the Laguna Niguel Office. The anesthesiologist (Glen Provost) spoke with us about my general versus local concerns. He reassured me there would be no tube down my throat.



My daughter left but that's really all I remember. The next thing I woke up changing (with help) into my street clothes. The plan was to have Carol, from Camilla's drive me to the aftercare facility located in Costa Mesa.



I slept off and on all day, feeling very little pain. The next morning Felicia (from Camilla's) drove me back to Dr. Sikorski's office. There's a private waiting room for plastic surgery patients. This makes it very comfortable only because I can't imagine regular patients seeing all the swelling and bandages, then wanting to go through with surgery.



After 2 days I have bruising only on my neck. My face is swollen but not bruised. There's stitches under my chin, directly in front of my ears, and into my hairline behind my ears. There's very little blood. I have taken a lukewarm shower and used polysporin, arnica pills, and arnica cream.



The medical clinic was pleasant and the aftercare amazing. I will try to post pictures as soon as I figure out how. I am taking them everyday.

Okay so I woke up Day 3 and have a black eye???...

  • 30 Sep 2011
Okay so I woke up Day 3 and have a black eye??? And, I haven't had a phone call from the doctor's office or any type of communication concerning the surgery. I think that's unusual.

This is day 19. Bruising remains under my eye...

  • 16 Oct 2011
This is day 19.

Bruising remains under my eye and on the right jowl. There's slight swelling under my jaw. I believe my bruises will continue to fade down the side of my face. Unfortunately, I'm very fair so it's nearly impossible to cover the bruising. Ice is my friend.



The right ear is numb and tender at the same time. The tragus on both ears is red and scaly so I'll keep on with the polysporin. There are different emotions involved in this surgery. I think you want to get out and do things but its too hard to explain the bruising so you keep busy cleaning closets and rearranging your sock drawer.

Okay, it's been 10 weeks. My face doesn't look...

  • 14 Dec 2011
Okay, it's been 10 weeks. My face doesn't look nearly as good as it did immediately after the bruising subsided. Skin is itchy and there are small bumps on my left cheek. I will have another procedure done down the road but it will be with another ps. My neck isn't as firm as it was in the beginning.



On a bright note, I do not have a wind swept look. I was so pleased at about the 5 weeks point, then it has progressed in the other direction. I won't say my ps wasn't good, just rough. I want the surgery where I have very little bruising and it lasts longer than 6 weeks. Also, I would like to feel my right ear and wear earrings.



Good luck to everyone.

It's now 6 months post surgery. There's...

  • 11 Apr 2012
It's now 6 months post surgery. There's definitely improvement in my overall look but the neck is weird looking. The front is loose already. I'm sure it needs a revision. The neck isn't smooth to the jaw. It looks more like a funnel. Get an excellent doctor. My doctor was average.

Its now 10 months post surgery. Constant pain and...

  • 1 Aug 2012
Its now 10 months post surgery. Constant pain and hardness on the right side of my neck. Worst surgeon ever as far as I'm concerned. I gave it time, time, time. Can't sit up all day. Have to lay down in the pm. No fun.

I have new information concerning my results. Its...

  • 11 Oct 2012
I have new information concerning my results. Its called damage of the great auricular nerve. Constant pain on the right side of my neck, including ear numbness and tinnitus. There's also pain on the left side but not as bad. Look it up.

Great review?

Lenore Sikorski, MD

My Doctor: Lenore Sikorski, MD

My rating:

Doctor's Bedside Manner
Answered My Questions
After Care Follow-Up
Time Spent With Me
Phone or Email Responsiveness
Staff Professionalism & Courtesy
Payment Process
Wait Times

My ratings have nothing to do with the surgery performance. Read the rating. There's no mention of surgery outcome. The skin on my neck is loose again. This doctor feels that pain in part of the recovery but she didn't mention the Great Auricular Nerve damage,

Comments (81)

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Leslie L 4 Jan 2013
Happy New Year! Just checking in with all of you...still no feeling in my right ear. I am looking for a Southern California doctor to preform a revision on my neck during summer 2013. I don't think Sikorski performed the corset platysmaplasty correctly. As quoted from NYC Dr. Yang, "I believe the the problems of falling necks, recurrence of neck muscle bands, pixie ears, and thickened scars behind the ear are related to trying to perform a necklift by solely tacking the back edge of the platysma muscle behind the ear without first performing a corset platysmaplasty." I feel lots of pressure on the backs of my ears and my face has fallen. This is only after 1 and a half years. I don't want to travel to New York for the revision, but plan to find a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon with similar philosophies as Dr. Yang. My lawyer son will handle any correspondence with the dermatologist, Dr. Sikorski as soon as we receive the revision quotes. Sikorski is a dermatologist. There's a need for dermatologists for Botox, Juvederm, etc, but she shouldn't be performing surgery. I did have Botox injections in my neck to relieve some of the new banding that has occurred since my surgery with Dr. Sikorski. She didn't offer any treatments. Good luck to you all! Remember to use Board Certified Plastic Surgeon.
leslie8642 14 Feb 2013
Gosh! You have really been through it. A dermatologist does not have the years of training a board certified surgeon does. A board certified plastic surgeon has years of general surgery training and then plastic surgery training. A dermatologist has no business doing plastic surgery. I pray your ordeal resolves soon. Blessings to you.
critique101 14 Oct 2012
Leslie: Your doctor was a dermatologist, not a plastic surgeon. Her focus (at her website) on "art" made me somewhat suspicious.
Leslie L 15 Oct 2012
it is misleading. She says board certified dermatologist, doesn't she?
believenow 3 Sep 2012
just wondering how things are going now?
60lovingit 10 Aug 2012
so sorry about your results. Pain controls your life. Is there anyone you can see for this?
I am still a bit numb on the sides of my face closer to the ears but I never had any pain.
Now almost 5 months and it keeps getting better.
Thecolonelswife 6 May 2012
I'm 5 days out and still have a lot of swelling. My bruising is going away, but my ears down through my clavicle area swollen. This morning seemed bad. Also having trouble sleeping on back...happy, but would like to see more definition....patience, patience ....
60lovingit 6 May 2012
please yes patience. The first week is the hardest. I sat in the lazyboy for 1 week as my head hurt with the tubes gone. I couldnt put pressure on the back of my head. But really there is little pain just irritations. Each week the changes are huge so hang in there. The results I hear after 3-12 months is more incredible.
60lovingit 5 May 2012
Do you have before and after photos?
Pkf 5 May 2012
I will try to post some tomorrow. I'm having more bruising showing up yesterday and today.
Leslie L 3 May 2012
My bruising showed up several days after the procedure. Had a black eye for 3 weeks, but the ear on that side is still numb. It's been 7 months.
mic123 5 May 2012
Please do not worry about numbness. It take many months for the nerves to come back. Some nerves never coMe back...not an issue for most areas. My tummy has never come back completely after 12 years. No big deal. My scalp nerves afteter forehead lift took a year.
Pkf 3 May 2012
I'm day 2 postop. Very swollen. I'm trying to keep ice on but very difficult while in upright position I have some little pads that fit in my eyes but as for rest of face I have to hold it on which gets old or if I fall to sleep it slides off face. No real pain, just some pressure which is probably from all the fluid in my face. Any suggestion on icing face...there is no bruising yet, does that come later? I had brow lift, lower bleph,, fat injections, face and neck lift...
60lovingit 6 May 2012
All doctors have their own way of doing things. My surgeon said no ice...do not touch the face...it is normal for swelling. I did take lots of arnicha tablets and gel on my face for bruising but I listened and in time swelling came down .
kaytee1 2 May 2012
Keeping nausea under control is very important because if you actually get sick you could get a hematoma! I took Zofran and didn't have a trace of nausea.
MGM1 2 May 2012
I had a nausea patch put on after surgery and took nausea pills. So that really helped. It sounds like you are doing really well considering it is day one. Let me know how things go.
Thecolonelswife 2 May 2012
I'm one day post op. I was quite sick from the anesthesia, but suspected that would happen as I am sensitive. I have a shiner on the left eye. Dr. decided a fat transfer was needed at last minute. I'm swollen, but comfortable. I felt well enough for my husband to go into work. Bandages off tomorrow. Ears kinda hurt...
60lovingit 6 May 2012
Yes I was quite sick for 3 days after my surgery but never threw up. Then it just passed. I had fat transfers also . But had the whole meal deal. Upper lower eyes, brow, mid and lower face lift, lipo under the chin and neck done. After 1 week i could out and just had a few bruises covered with Dermablend and now 8 weeks amazing results.
MGM1 2 May 2012
I forgot to say in my original post, that my earlier FL was 15 years ago. I am very pleased with my new look. My cheeks have been put back on my cheekbones and my jaw is no longer square, but smooth with a defined chin. Very youthful looking. I have no numbness, which I did have on my original FL. Of course, my face will settle within the next few months and I will therefore have to wait to see the final results.
MGM1 1 May 2012
I also had a facelift at age 49 and am now post op 8 days with a MACS facelift. A lot of the swelling has gone down but I have minor bruising on the sides of my face and redish bruising under my eyes. I also had an upper bleph and a neck lift. I have felt the best today than I have felt since I had the surgery. I also had the sutures removed today.
mic123 1 May 2012
MGM1
It sounds like you are doing really well for 8 days. My surgeon from years ago told me that a facelift is major surgery and you do not completely heal for 6 months. I did go for a consult last week and set the appointment for a mid face lift with partial neck lift. I hope I do as well as you. How do you like your "look"?
mic123 15 Apr 2012
I had a full facelift at age 49, which was 15 years ago. It took 3 weeks to be able to go out in public and I spent the first 24 hours at a nurses home. I am so glad I did it early, as the change was not so drastic and it held up for many years. My friend faces were dropping and mine did not. I look about 10 years younger than I am. I am about to go through it again, 15 years later. I will go to a Board Certified PS, from the best program. I plan on spending a week away from my husband, but he will know all about it. I will stay in a resort area and have a nurse come in to see me each day. I remember that I looked like I had been severely beaten after my original surgery, but I also slept for the first week and watched tons of movies.
mic123 15 Apr 2012
I had a full facelift at age 49, which was 15 years ago. It took 3 weeks to be able to go out in public and I spent the first 24 hours at a nurses home. I am so glad I did it early, as the change was not so drastic and it held up for many years. My friend faces were dropping and mine did not. I look about 10 years younger than I am. I am about to go through it again, 15 years later. I will go to a Board Certified PS, from the best program. I plan on spending a week away from my husband, but he will know all about it. I will stay in a resort area and have a nurse come in to see me each day. I remember that I looked like I had been severely beaten after my original surgery, but I also slept for the first week and watched tons of movies.
Thecolonelswife 11 Apr 2012
I'm 45, but have a loose neck. It's in the genes and is only going to get worse. Figured I might as well do some facial lifting while I was under. Thanks for the time you have taken to post your experience.
kaytee1 11 Apr 2012
no i'm in my early 50's, but I've always had a weak jawline. I am very active physically and my looks didn't fit me! If i would have known this surgery would have changed me so drastically for the better I would have had it years ago, as mine was more anatomically wrong to begin with and got worse with age. Yea I had complications but not the fault of the doc, just unlucky, Still though I would do it all over again. My skin is pretty good for my age so people think I am far younger now. Doc had to do smas to address the platysma muscle.

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